


Somebody to Someone

by newtheglue



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Background Relationships, Background characters - Freeform, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy, Little bit of angst, M/M, Post All Out War, Soft boys being soft, me? Not writing angst? Who knew?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 12:58:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12841668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newtheglue/pseuds/newtheglue
Summary: Maybe it wasn’t just the ending that mattered.





	Somebody to Someone

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from “Someone to You” by BANNERS. It’s the music I pictured playing in the background, so you can listen to it if you’d like.

The last place Daryl wants to be is a party. And honestly, Paul Rovia sitting next to him isn’t even on the list of why the night is so shitty.

If Rick really wanted Daryl to celebrate winning the war, he would’ve let Daryl stay in his house and get drunk before crashing on the couch.

But Rick loves watching Daryl suffer, apparently.

He watches his family alone at first. Tara is drunkenly flirting with the pretty girl from Oceanside. He smiles at Rick’s attempts to dance with Michonne, who seems to be unaffected by her boyfriend’s antics, unlike an extremely embarrassed Carl. Aaron and a heavily pregnant Maggie speak to one another in hushed voices, their eyes teary, but bright smiles lighting up their faces as they talk about their lost loves. Carol dances elegantly with Ezekiel, and Daryl isn’t sure if he’s ever seen her smile quite like that. Their newest edition, Siddiq, is talking shyly with Rosita, who seems to be genuinely interested in what he’s saying.

And as much as Daryl loves seeing his family like this- happy, carefree- he can’t help but remember the people who should’ve been here. _Hershel. Beth. Merle. Eric. Denise. Abraham. Sasha. Glenn._ They’d all meant something to the group, and Daryl hoped that there was some afterlife where they were at peace. He sees the impact of their lives in his family’s eyes, in his own. How they’d shaped all of them into who they are now.

And he’s not stupid. He knows that the war ending doesn’t mean the death will stop. He knows that his time is ticking, that everyone’s is.

He’s a pessimist, really. Rick likes to tell him to _‘lighten the fuck up’_ constantly, but pessimism is realism nowadays.

But instead of being a Debbie-fucking-Downer, he sits alone on the bench at the edge of the celebrations.

Until the damn hippie ninja guy sits his ass down next to Daryl, that is.

“You look _thrilled_ to be here,” Rovia says with a smirk. Daryl rolls his eyes, leaning back.

“C’mon, do I _ever_ look happy to be anywhere?” Daryl asks, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

Rovia fake-gasps. “He has a sense of humor. Who knew?” Daryl snorts in reply. The scout shifts slightly, sitting just close enough for their shoulders to touch. Daryl swallows.

He’s not in denial about this _thing_. He knows what it is, and he knows that Rovia is aware of it too. The flirting, the lingering glances, the constant worry for one another. And it doesn’t scare him. Not in the whole internalized-homophobia way, anyway.

The part that scares him is that he’s seen this before. Time after time. He’s seen it in Maggie after Glenn. Aaron after Eric. Rick after Lori. Sasha after Bob and Abe. Tara after Denise. It’s a loss so painful that it tears your whole _world_ apart. And it terrifies Daryl that if they do this, if they take the chance, one of them will end up devastated.

He doesn’t know if he can do that to Paul.

“Yer a dick,” Daryl replies.

Paul hums. “Fair point. But I like to think it’s one of my best qualities. It comes in handy sometimes.”

Daryl just nods. It’s silent for a few beats, before he asks, “Why ain’t you out there? Celebratin’?”

Rovia shrugs. “I’m not one for parties, believe it or not. They’re too crowded, even if you know everyone.” He seems to hesitate before adding, “I’d rather sit here with you anyway.”

“Hm, not too many people would agree.”

Paul downright laughs at that. “ _Please_. Your family adores you. It’s pretty cute.” He pauses, tilting his head in a way that’s _infuriatingly adorable_. “I’ve gotten a few shovel talks, which is less cute, but still.”

Daryl rolls his eyes. “They know we ain’t together, right?”

“Well, they know we aren’t together _yet_. I’ve almost got you, I think.” Daryl huffs a laugh.

“Yer sure confident about that, aren’t ya?”

“Yep,” Paul says, popping the ‘p’.

Daryl let’s the conversation lull, letting the soft music fill the silence as his thoughts swirl around his mind.

He remembers Maggie’s tear-stained face and Rick’s screams of grief. Tara’s heart going cold and Sasha losing her mind. Aaron’s heartbreaking silence that seemed to last for weeks.

But then he glances at Paul, and more memories come to mind. Maggie and Glenn smiling as they pass around their ultrasound. Rick looking at Michonne like she’s the _damn_ moon, and allowing himself to love again, even fiercer than before. Tara and Denise’s not-so-subtle smiles and kisses. Sasha and Abe’s stupid peace signs and Abe saying _‘package deal’_. Aaron and Eric’s intertwined fingers and home full of license plates.

Maybe it wasn’t just the ending that mattered.

Denise’s final words ring in his ears. _“I could have told her I loved her, but I didn't...because I was afraid. That's what's stupid, not coming out here, not facing my shit, and it makes me sick that you guys aren't even trying because you're strong and you're smart and you're both really good people.”_

It hurts that in the end, her only regret was never telling Tara what Tara already knew. He doesn’t want that with Paul.

“Yer right,” Daryl says gently. Rovia looks at him with furrowed brows.

“About what?”

Daryl takes a breath before saying, “You’ve got me.”

Paul smiles softly. He links Daryl’s fingers with his. “You’ve got me too.”

Paul leans over and presses his lips to Daryl’s. It’s soft, and it’s over quickly, but it feels like coming home.

Daryl finally understands why his family had taken the risk of losing someone.

Paul smiles at him, brightly and softly all at once. “I kinda love you, in case you didn’t pick that up.”

Daryl grins at him. It’s the biggest smile he’s had since… well, ever. He lets out a small laugh. “I guessed that much, hippie. Love ya too.”

As the party continues around them, Daryl feels content for once. Even if it ends in tragedy, they’d always have this. And Daryl’s pretty okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Follow my insta if you want to yell about Desus: @thatonevideooftompaynerunning


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